Call of Duty: End of Days
by Ascended Demon
Summary: After defeating the Shadow Man, the four discover the truth. The Shadow Man, whose true name is Nyarlathotep, gives them a break after making it so far... for now. Until then, the four are going to try and enjoy this break of theirs. And along a way, a relationship forms. M/M pairing. Don't like, don't read. Rated M just in case.
1. Paradise

**Author's Note: So, I've decided to rewrite this story before continuing it, but it will be continued eventually. I've been lazy and trying to make progress on other stories, so things will be slow. But to those who enjoy this story so far, it will be continued. I'm sorry for the wait, I'll make up for it once I get my stories in order.**

 **This is officially the first rewritten chapter of this story.**

 **Now, on with the story.**

* * *

It was over. It shouldn't be possible, it shouldn't have been. It was supposed to be this unending battle for survival against undead creatures and other such monsters. Then it had become a fight for survival against an unimaginably powerful supernatural being. The four zombie slayers, the Primus crew, had been fighting against their enemies for longer than they can even remember. They had forgotten how the world was before, when there weren't any zombies, any monsters, or malevolent beings. The old world they once knew seemed like a mere dream to them, a fantasy world that didn't exist.

This perfect world was now restored to its original glory. A beautiful place unlike anything they had seen, despite all the unusual places they had gone to during their travels. The beauty was something that made even the battle hardened and war-torn Primus crew stare in awe at everything around them. But what they really felt was this... relief. It was truly over. This war they had been fighting had seemingly come to an end after countless years.

"I can't believe it." Dempsey said, almost as if he actually didn't believe what he was seeing. "We did it. It's over."

"It is." Richtofen said as he looked around, the look in his eyes saying that he felt otherwise. "But why do I feel that it is not?"

Dempsey would've made a remark about that, had he not been feeling the same. Judging by their surroundings, the war _was_ over, but it didn't feel that way. He felt relieved, but it wasn't the level of relief he'd think he'd feel about managing to defeat a powerful supernatural being that intended to corrupt the universe.

"If we feel it is not over after this victory, could that mean that we haven't won yet?" Nikolai asked to no one in particular as he pondered this himself.

"We had to of won." Richtofen said as he turned to face the others, but they could tell that he didn't feel that way. Then his expression changed as he seemed to realized something. "Unless, by some chance, we might've missed something."

"What could have been missed? We followed the steps accordingly, yes?" Takeo asked, though he didn't sound sure either.

"You all followed the steps perfectly."

The group looked and saw a figure standing by the cliff in front of them, overlooking the perfect world. Whoever this figure was, it was wearing a black hooded cloak that hid any other features from them. But they could tell that this... being, was tall. Perhaps eight feet tall at least, if not taller. And the sound of its voice was male, but it also sounded demonic and had a eerie echo that the four zombie slayers had to admit made them almost uncomfortable.

"Who are you?" Richtofen demanded softly, cautious just like the others. He didn't know what was happening, this certainly wasn't something he could have anticipated. And now he was afraid, afraid for himself and his friends, the closest thing he ever had to a family. "What are you?"

The figure simply chuckled in an unsettlingly way. "Who am I? Do you four really not recognize me?" He chuckled once more. "I suppose that is fair, given that you four are not familiar with this true form of mine."

He turned to face them, and the group's eyes widened when they saw his face. What they were looking at was some sort of anthropomorphic hellhound, definitely unlike anything they had ever encountered. His fur was mostly black with some dark purple streaks here and there, and he didn't seem to have any eyes. Underneath his cloak, he seemed to be wearing what looked like some kind of armor, definitely supernatural. And on the front of his cloak was a symbol the group had also never seen before.

"You know me as both the Shadow Man _and_ Dr. Monty." The Hellhound stated. "But my true name is Nyarlathotep. I'm known as "The Deceiver" to some, but they're long gone. And besides, it's not that hard to deceive, not when they are but fools. I'm sure Richtofen has told you what he's seen from that supernatural book he's read."

Richtofen's eyes widened. "The Kronorium."

"Yes." The Hellhound, or Nyarlathotep, said in a satisfied tone. "That book, as I'm sure you know, contains information regarding the universes of the Call of Duty Multiverse, its timelines and dimensions, some of the beings with in it, especially the beings I personally created and sent after you four."

"Now, hold on there." Dempsey spoke up. "If you're so powerful, then what's with the trick?"

"Dempsey's right." Takeo agreed. "Why waste your time when you could've just killed us?"

"Who said I wanted any of you dead?" Nyarlathotep questioned, giving them a grin that revealed his massive, unnaturally sharp canine teeth that could outmatch even the sharpest and strongest of blades. "Perhaps that's how it might've seemed, but let me ask you this: Would any of the things I've sent have honestly killed you? In fact, have any of you four noticed how you don't seem to change? You've literally fought against my undead army for decades, yet you aren't any older. You hardly ever sleep, ever drink, ever eat, or defecate or urinate. Hell, you probably didn't notice how you all only seem to breathe out of habit. Or how none of you have become ill, despite all the detrimental contaminants that any mortal human would've succumb to."

"Immortality." Richtofen whispered, his eyes going wide as he realized that it actually made sense. "You're saying we're immortals?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Nyarlathotep confirmed before turning around and walking back to the edge of the cliff to overlook the perfect world once more.

"Unbelievable." Nikolai whispered to himself, sounding both shocked and amazed by this.

"Damn. But we ate and slept from time to time." Dempsey pointed out, not sure what to think about any of this. How could they have missed something so obvious, though?

"Well, have any of you ever actually kept track of the time?" Nyarlathotep asked. "This universe is something I created, something I had been manipulating this whole time. A simulation, if you will, that is also real at the same time. Except being its ruler, I can alter its laws, be it time, space, reality. In most of the places you four have ventured to, it was endless night. When it wasn't, it was endless day. I suppose that would've made it much harder to keep track of time, but then again," Nyarlathotep looked over his shoulder. "Why bother with how long its been when you all are so focused on completing your mission?"

The four zombie slayers exchanged looks, none of them knowing what to even think about this new information that they were struggling to process. They would've thought that after everything they've seen, they would've been prepared for anything. Perhaps it was because they had expected to die one day, but perhaps that day would never come.

"Here's what I really don't understand." Nikolai spoke up after some silence as he looked over at the Hellhound. "What was the point of all this, if you had no intention or desire to kill us?"

"What was the point?" Nyarlathotep asked, seeming to be pondering this as well. "Perhaps there was never any point to this. Maybe it was a test, but I found some entertainment from watching you four prevail. Could I have simply been toying with you all? Possibly, but you four do mean something to me, which, I suppose, is why I only made things harder as you four got stronger. I couldn't let you face this chaotic world until I believed you to be ready, and you've done better than I originally expected."

"Now what?" Takeo asked. "If the game is done, then what happens to us now?"

"Now? Honestly? I suppose I might as well give you four what you have desired all these years. An end to the fighting, an end to the chaos. Besides," Nyarlathotep turned to face them. "I can't have any of you interfering with any of my plans. And I would love to see how everything turns out when I give you four your own paradise. It'll be a much easier life for you once I remake this universe."

While the four zombie slayers were surprised and almost happy that they would find a paradise, they didn't miss that one part that the Hellhound said.

"What do you mean, interfere with your plans?" Richtofen asked suspiciously. "What exactly are you intending to do?"

"It is nothing you need to concern yourselves with. Just enjoy the paradise I am giving you. While you are immortal, it may not last as long as you all. And don't worry about how you appear, or how unusual your paradise may seem. Or how strange your physiology will be."

"Physiology? What are you talking about?" Richtofen asked, growing more wary of whatever was to come.

"Well, if you want to know now, I'm turning you all into dogs. Though Nikolai will be a wolf." Nyarlathotep said.

"Wait, what?" Dempsey asked.

"Goodbye."

* * *

Richtofen gasped as he shot up and quickly scanned his surroundings, then relaxed when he saw that he was in no danger. But he wasn't alone, as Dempsey was sitting right next to him. Both of them were alert, but when they looked at each other, their eyes widened in shock.

"Dempsey?"

"Eddie?"

"Why are you a German Shepherd?"

"Why are you a Doberman?"

The two looked at themselves, staring incredulously at their canine bodies. Richtofen was, in fact, a Doberman, fairly muscular and lean, as well well-groomed. Dempsey, on the other hand, was a German Shepherd. He was also well-built, possibly more so than Richtofen, but his fur was somewhat messy in a few spots and he looked more rugged. Honestly, the looks suited them both.

But the two were still speechless as they struggled to comprehend what was happening to them. Somehow, out of all their experiences, this was actually the strangest thing that has ever happened to them. Eventually, the silence was broken by Dempsey.

"He turned us into dogs." Dempsey said. "He turned us into dogs! Fucking dogs!"

Richtofen sighed. "This is not even the worse thing that's happened to us. Compared to everything else, it might just be the best. That's not even including the things that happened to some of our counterparts."

Dempsey gave him a strange look. "Do I even want to know?"

Richtofen shook his head. "Not at all."

"Right." Dempsey said slowly. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"Maybe get some sleep for once?" Richtofen suggested he let himself fall onto his side before sinking into the amazingly soft mattress. Then his eyes snapped open when he realized that he was in a bed... with Dempsey.

"I didn't know you wanted to share a bed, Doc." Dempsey said with a smug smirk. "But if that's what you wanted, then all you had to do was ask."

Richtofen, however, was too exhausted to even bother. "You're an idiot."

Dempsey's smirk only grew. "So you say."

"I mean it, Dempsey. Now shut up so I can go to sleep."

"You want to cuddle with me while you're at it? Maybe use me as a pillow and snuggle into my fur? I think that would be cute."

Richtofen glanced up at the arrogant Shepherd, glaring at him in annoyance as he kept laying on his side. "You want to shut up or should I make you shut up?"

Dempsey laughed, almost ready to just shut up and go to sleep, still finding it amusing that Richtofen would be sleeping with him. However, before he even laid down, he realized something.

"Wait, what about Nikolai and Takeo? How do we know that the Shadow Man or Nyarlathotep didn't send them to God-Knows-Where?" While Dempsey didn't always show it, he did care for his friends and would always be concerned about their well-being.

Richtofen, while he did see his team as family, didn't actually worry this time. He knew each of his friends could handle themselves despite how dangerous a powerful threat can be. Still, he might as well humor the Shepherd.

The Doberman let out a tired sigh, closing his eyes momentarily. "We can check the house. I'm sure that they're around here somewhere."

The two of them looked around the room they were in for a second, and they were surprised to see that they had been laying on perhaps on the largest mattress that they or anyone has ever seen. It was definitely larger than a King size, at least 10 feet in width by 15 feet in length. Why Nyarlathotep would even give them a bed that looked like it could fit a small family in it was beyond them. Not to mention, the bedroom they were in was definitely a master bedroom, and it had a lot of extra space here and there, enough for them to make some additions to it in the future. Of course, there was some stuff already there, such at the 90 inch curved TV that was on the wall across the bedroom from them.

"Jesus, talk about overkill." Dempsey said in surprise as Richtofen only stared incredulously at everything their greatest enemy had apparently given them with this one bedroom alone.

Sure, they had seen televisions and other forms of technology from the future, but with such high quality items? Ones that they were in possession of? This was definitely so much more than anything they could've ever afforded on their own, if they had lived without interdimensional, undead apocalypses.

"I would've been satisfied with a 36 inch with only 720p resolution. Apparently, this one has the best 4k that can be provided in the year 2019." Richtofen said.

Dempsey raised a brow. "How do you know that?"

Richtofen didn't respond. Instead, he merely handed the other a note that he had found on the nightstand on his side of the bed. Dempsey grabbed the note and read it.

 _Dear Dempsey and Richtofen,_

 _By now, you will have seen just the beginning of what I have provided you with. Overkill, I know. But I thought, "Why not?" So I did it anyway. Now, you two and your friends have it all. You are now living within a beautiful four story house that I have constructed while also customizing this universe to suit you as perfectly as it can. You are now living in what would be New York, one of the forests in the northern part of it, anyway. Here, you will find no interruption of any kind, and it's isolated from the rest of this world. Still, that doesn't necessarily guarantee that no one will hear you two go at it._

The only color on their faces was redness at that point, but Dempsey kept reading as Richtofen did the same.

 _Enough about what's to come once you two are finished with all this pining nonsense. You two have already won first place for it in my book, and possibly this whole Call of Duty Multiverse. Anyway, you two and your friends will be living large, having everything you've ever desired and more. So far, you're the wealthiest individuals in this world, and none of the laws in any part of the country or other countries will apply to you. Hell, you two can go at it in public and with an audience. Personally, I really don't care what you do or how you live, just enjoy your life here._

 _Here's a fair warning, though. Overtime, I'm going to collect certain individuals and send them to you. Some you may know, others only Richtofen will recognize from when he overwhelmed himself by perceiving this entire multiverse. I'll make it easy and start with the one person you'll know. Spoiler alert, he made it._

 _That's it for now, I would say. There's nothing else you need to know that you won't eventually figure out yourselves. And in due time, you'll be thriving here._

 _Regards,_

 _Nyarlathotep the Deceiver_

The two canines looked each other in the eyes for a second before getting off the bed and exiting the room. Outside, they saw a hallway with multiple doors on each side. The two exchanged a look once more before they began checking the rooms. The closest room on the right was a bedroom, smaller than theirs but still large enough to be considered a master bedroom. On the bed was a dark brown Siberian Wolf, so they knew it was definitely Nikolai.

Knowing where their Russian friend was now, they closed the door and checked the closest room on the left. It was also a bedroom, same size as Nikolai's, and in the bed was a Shikoku Ken, so it had to be Takeo.

"Well, now we know where to find them." Richtofen said as he closed the door. "Do you want to go back to bed?"

Dempsey shrugged. "I think I'll check the place out. I want to see what else there is."

Richtofen sighed, but he couldn't say he was surprised. It was Dempsey's typical nature to know everything about where they stayed. Of course, it hadn't bothered Richtofen before because they were constantly fighting zombies and always had to make sure that they were safe wherever they held up.

So he decided to follow him and see what they found within the house. Going down the stairs, they noticed that while the house looked like it was made in the 21st century, it also appeared as though it was from the 1920s for some reason. It simply gave off that type of feeling to them.

Most of the rooms on the upper floors were bedrooms, bathrooms, and empty rooms. But on the first floor, Dempsey and Richtofen were amazed when they saw that there was a large, 21st century modern kitchen, a beautiful dining room with a table meant for at least two dozen people, and then there was the room that really caught their attention. It was a family room, definitely large enough for dozens. It had five large, leather sofas that looked like they had to be some of the most expensive sofas of their time period. And against the wall that all the sofas were facing was a curved TV, only this one had to be 200 inches.

"Son of a bitch. That thing looks like it'd be cool as fuck to watch something on." Dempsey commented as he walked over to the nearest sofa and hopped on. On the rest next to him was the TV remote, so he picked it up and turned on the TV. The moment it turned on, both Dempsey and Richtofen instinctively jumped as soon as they saw a zombie appear on screen. Of course, they quickly realized it was all a part of the movie.

"Huh, "Resident Evil"." Dempsey laid down on his side before looking over at Richtofen. "Wanna share the sofa?"

Richtofen shrugged, letting out a yawn the moment before. "I don't really care at this point. I want to just sleep as much as I can."

"Well, you can watch the movie with me." Dempsey suggested. "That might tire you out."

Richtofen grinned tiredly yet teasingly. "Scared of a few zombies, Dempsey? I expect a little more bravery from you."

Dempsey just rolled his eyes at that. "Come on, Eddie. Just lay down with me and watch the movie, alright? I just want to have someone to watch it with." The German Shepherd grinned. "Besides, you and I both know how much you want to cuddle with me. I know that you want to feel my muscles, my fur, and just everything my body has to offer."

Richtofen rolled his eyes back at him, but that didn't stop him from climbing up onto the sofa and laying down in front of the other dog. As soon as he did, Dempsey wrapped a foreleg around him before pulling him close and laying his head on Richtofen's neck.

"Finally, freedom." He said into the Doberman's ear.

Richtofen let out a sigh. "It's feel so nice, like an actual paradise. I'm afraid that it's all a dream, though."

Dempsey chuckled. "We would never have a dream so good."

"Fair point." Richtofen agreed. Not even in his greatest dreams had he had everything with the only people he ever cared for.

After a few moments of silence, Dempsey eventually spoke up.

"Hey, Eddie?"

"Yes, Dempsey?"

"What do you think will become of us? What do you think Nyarlathotep has planned?"

Richtofen knew Dempsey well enough to know that despite keeping it out of his tone, he was worried deep down. And honestly, Richtofen was also worried about that. He had just been trying to push it to the back of his mind to avoid stressing himself out too much.

"I don't know. I don't know if I want to know. I'm just hoping that if anything happens, we'll be ready. But all I can do is hope."

Dempsey licked his cheek, something that didn't even surprise the Doberman. Mostly because of his current emotional state. "We've made it so far, Eddie. If anything does happen, we'll figure it out. We've always figured it out."

The words helped Richtofen to relax and push away the worry he felt as he snuggled into Dempsey's fur.

"This is just a dog thing, right?" The Shepherd asked.

"Let's just go with that."


	2. Custom-made Universe

Early in the morning, it had just been a little while after sunrise, and the only thing that was blocking its bright light were the window shutters. Inside the living room, it was still pretty dark, but light came from the TV, which was still on and showing an episode of The Walking Dead. And on the sofa were two certain dogs, a doberman and a German shepherd, who had fallen asleep as they watched the marathon last night.

Dempsey was snoring softly, unconsciously nuzzling Richtofen neck. The Doberman snuggled against the other as they slept there together. And Dempsey had his arms around Richtofen's waste, holding him close to him, almost protectively.

After a while, the two slowly began to wake up as they both opened their eyes, then they yawned tiredly before glancing at one another.

"Hey, Doc."

"Morning, Dempsey."

At that second, it became apparent to them what was going on, and they looked at each other awkwardly.

"So... it wasn't a dream, then." Dempsey said.

Richtofen looked around the living room. "I suppose it wasn't."

Dempsey sighed. "Well, at least we don't have to fight zombies anymore."

Richtofen nodded. "That's true. It's actually going to be worth being dogs."

Dempsey shrugged, then glanced at the TV before sighing once more. "Damn it. We missed Season 3 and 4!"

"I'm sure we'll see it again." Richtofen reassured. "Besides, there's probably something else to watch. I don't know about you, but I'd rather watch what happened throughout Season 3 and 4."

"Fine, but you're making breakfast." Dempsey said. "What is there to eat, anyway?"

"There are pancakes, eggs, bacon, and biscuits."

Richtofen and Dempsey exchanged a look, because neither of them had spoken, but they recognized the voice and looked to see a certain canine standing right in front of them.

"Takeo?" Dempsey asked in surprise.

The Shikoku Ken smirked. "Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauties."

"Wait, do you not know that we're dogs?" Dempsey asked, looking at his friend strangely.

Takeo chuckled. "Of course I know, I had enough time to process it when I woke up. Nikolai's already making breakfast in the kitchen."

"You seem..." Richtofen wasn't sure how to say it without it sounding offensive.

"More cheerful?" Takeo shrugged. "It doesn't matter. A minor change it all it is. I'm just relieved that the it's all over. But were you two seriously cuddling _and_ watching "The Walking Dead"?"

Dempsey shrugged. "It's just a dog thing."

"Whatever you wanna call it."

"Guys, let's not let this turn into an argument." Richtofen said. "Let's jus try to enjoy this new life of ours."

"He's right. We shouldn't waste it on fighting." Nikolai agreed, walking in from the kitchen. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going outside to check out the neighborhood. I'll be back in half an hour or so."

"I'm going to try and see if there's anything else on." Richtofen said as he grabbed the remote and began searching. "So, anyone know what other movies or TV shows are from the future?"

"Probably everything on TV." Dempsey said, noticing how he didn't recognize anything on the channels that Richtofen was scrolling through. "I don't think they have anything from the 1920s. And if they did, it'd probably be black and white. Although, I did like Godzilla. Too bad we won't get to see it."

"Don't speak too soon, Dempsey." Richtofen said. "Looks like there's a movie here about Godzilla."

Dempsey's eyes widened as soon as they saw the scene where the military was attempting to kill Godzilla with a nuke. "Holy shit, that's so damn realistic!"

Takeo chuckled amusedly. "That's what you get when you have a TV from the future."

"Better quality, and color. This is excellent." Richtofen commented.

"What else do we have?" Dempsey asked.

Richtofen shrugged. "That'll depend. Anyway, let's wait for Nikolai to come back. I really want to know what they have here in town."

"Well, he won't be back yet. We'll just have to think of something to do until them." Dempsey said.

Richtofen nodded. "I suppose we just eat whatever breakfast Nikolai made earlier."

"Good. I need something to eat. I've almost forgotten what food taste like." And the next second, Dempsey was already in the kitchen.

* * *

After eating their breakfast and watching the movie, the three canines decided that they should see the neighborhood and find their Russian friend, wherever he had run off to.

"Are you guys ready for this?" Richtofen asked.

"I don't know. I feel somewhat hesitant about this." Takeo admitted.

"Well, get ready, cause there's no turning back." Dempsey said. "I don't know what we're gonna see on the other side of that door," He gestured towards the nice, wooden door in from of them. "But whatever's out there is a part of our paradise. And if it's as good as we're all hoping it is, then we may never want to leave."

Richtofen took a deep breath before standing on his hind legs, then he grabbed the doorknob before twisting it, opening the door before pushing it aside. The moment all three of them looked outside, they all had expressions of shock and awe.

"Oh, my god." Dempsey muttered as he stepped outside, walking down the walkway as he looked around the neighborhood.

"They're are people." Richtofen said. "Real living people."

"Not a zombie in site." Takeo added. "No blood, no screeching. Just... peace."

"When was the last time we all saw something like this?" Richtofen asked.

"The last time the world like this was decades ago, doc. Decades ago." Dempsey replied.

Richtofen nodded. "Feels about right."

"There you three are."

They all looked to see a certain Siberian wolf walking over to them.

"It's about time you all decided to get out of the house. I was wondering if I'd be exploring this place on my own." Nikolai said with a smirk.

Dempsey chuckled. "This place is awesome! We're free!"

"For now." Richtofen reminded. "Who knows how long we have until our break is over."

Dempsey grinned. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go do something!"

"What are we going to do?" Nikolai asked.

"I imagine we can go somewhere. Start off small, then do something big." Takeo said.

Richtofen nodded. "That's a good idea. We're obviously in a suburban area, so we should probably follow the road until we find a city or some place more urban than here. I don't think this place has anything another than houses."

Dempsey looked into the direction the road went. "Seems like a long walk. Oh well, we could probably use a good walk. What do you all think?"

"I think you're right." Richtofen agreed. "A nice, peaceful walk might do us some good."

Takeo nodded. "I agree. It'll be something for us to enjoy until we find something to do. It would be nice if all of us were able to do something other than fight for survival."

"Definitely." Dempsey agreed. "So, like I said, let's go do something."

* * *

A couple hours later, the four canines had made it to the nearest town. It was, of course, much more urban than the neighborhood they had been in. Here and there were different buildings, some of which that were different types of stores, while the rest were restaurants.

The former zombie slayers were currently in awe as they passed each and every building, wondering where to go first. However, there weren't exactly any stores they were in the mood to go to. Besides, they didn't bring any money. Assuming they had money back at the house. Either way, they didn't care as they were happy to be somewhere without zombies, chaos, and destruction.

"Guys, am I dreaming, or are we really in a town, full of living people and real stores?" Richtofen asked, still trying to adjust to it all.

Dempsey laughed. "You're not the only one whose been wondering that, Eddie. I can't believe it anymore than you."

The Doberman raised a brow. "Eddie?"

"Yeah, it's just my pet name for you." The German Shepherd replied. "You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that. I just don't understand why you've given me a pet name."

"Well, Eddie," Dempsey chuckled as he used the name. "We've fought together for decades, we've known each other for a long time. I just think, "Why not?" I mean, aren't we friends?"

Richtofen nodded. "We are. I just didn't expect anything like that from you."

"You two did cuddle together this morning. I do not see why you can't give each other pet names." Nikolai said.

"It's a dog thing." Richtofen replied.

Takeo rolled his eyes. "Whatever you two wanna call your newfound romance."

Dempsey laughed sarcastically. "Hilarious, Takeo. By the way, is it honorable to you to find gay sex entertaining?"

Takeo gasped. "What did you just say?"

Dempsey grinned. "Just asking."

The Shikoku Ken glanced at Richtofen. "Aren't you going to say something?"

Richtofen, however, merely shrugged. "When does he not say things like that."

Takeo sighed, knowing the other was right.

Dempsey chuckled, nudging the Doberman. "You're finally on my side now, huh?"

"I suppose."

"You two definitely have some sort of weird relationship. Takeo's right, there's definitely some romance there." Nikolai said.

"Be quiet, Nikolai." Dempsey said.

Richtofen decided to chance the subject. "So, what are we going to do now that we're here?"

Dempsey shrugged. "I don't really feel like shopping. Especially since there's nothing that really interests me. We did, after all, see things from the future."

"Those were futuristic guns, Dempsey." Richtofen reminded.

"I was talking about those things we saw in Godzilla and The Walking Dead."

"Well, true, some of those things they don't have yet."

"Ah, well, I'm sure we'll find something to do."

"Like go to the beach? Assuming there's one nearby?"

Dempsey considered that. "Maybe."

"Hey," Nikolai gestured to one of the buildings. "Does that store seem to stand out?"

The others looked, and the moment they did, they knew which one their friend was referring to. Down the block was a store that definitely didn't belong in this time. Probably not in this century to begin with.

"Well, we have a flat screen, so we shouldn't be too surprised that there's a store from the future." Dempsey stated.

Richtofen nodded. "That place must have better quality products. And I imagine that it might have something we all like. It's a rather large store, too."

"But we didn't bring any money." Takeo reminded.

"Dempsey, what's that?" Nikolai asked.

"What's what?" The German Shepherd asked in confusion.

"By your hip. It looks like it's strapped on."

Dempsey put on paw on his hip, then realized what the Siberian Wolf was talking about. "Oh, it was a gun holster, and I kinda wanted to wear it. I didn't really look at what it was carrying." He reached into the holster, and his eyes widened before he pulled out the object and held it in front of him so his friends could see. "That's my wallet."

"How much money does it have?" Richtofen asked curiously.

Dempsey opened his wallet and pulled out a dollar bill. "50." Then he chuckled. "Well, l guess I do feel like shopping."

* * *

A few hours later, the canines came out of the store, each of them pushing baskets full of different things that they had purchased with Dempsey's money. Even now, the German Shepherd still had a little over half of what he started with, since everything was cheaper in the 1900s.

"I cannot believe I was able to buy so much champagne. They're supposed to outlaw the damn thing!" Dempsey exclaimed.

"And there aren't supposed to be stores from the future." Richtofen added. "I'm thinking that Nyarlathotep made us a custom universe. I think we're the only ones allowed to even buy champagne here."

Nikolai chuckled. "More for us, then. And as immortals, we can't get drunk. Assuming we're anything like Captain America."

The others looked at the Siberian Wolf strangely.

"After I woke up, I wanted to catch up on as much as I can on things from the future." He explained. "Captain America is a movie about a scrawny, yet brave young man who wants to serve his country and fight against the Nazis during World War 2. Apparently, he becomes part of a super soldier program, and the procedure was rather successful. He became large, muscular, and immune to intoxication. Regeneration and faster metabolism."

Richtofen nodded. "Sounds interesting. I wonder if he is real and from a universe of some sort."

Nikolai shrugged. "Perhaps. I would enjoy fighting alongside him."

"Careful what you wish for." Takeo said with a grin. "Nyarlathotep might send you into a battle with him."

"You're probably right about that."

"Let's forget about that." Dempsey said. "I wanna get home and have some of this champagne, if you all don't mind."

Richtofen rolled his eyes, grinning slightly. "Now, Dempsey, we don't know if we can get drunk or not."

Dempsey shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I want something to drink."

"Alright, but don't come to me with a dumbass expression."

"Whatever you say, hon."

Takeo and Nikolai exchanged a look.

"Do they seem stranger to you?" Nikolai asked.

The Shikoku Ken shook his head. "I'm not sure what we're in for, but it can't be as bad as fighting against undead hordes."

Nikolai nodded. "True."

Richtofen rolled his eyes. "Alright then, love."

Dempsey grinned. "I knew you loved me."

"Shut up, you dumbass."


	3. Just a Game

It was a mostly quiet evening as the four retired zombie slayers spent their time doing different things. Richtofen and Dempsey were the only two doing something together, and that was just watching what they had missed from The Walking Dead. Or, at least that's what they planned to do. While they had been watching, Richtofen was currently reading the instructions for pretty much all the 21st century technology they had in the house.

"What instructions are you reading this time?" Dempsey asked, not looking away from the screen.

"I'm currently reading the instructions for what is apparently a gaming counsel." Richtofen replied.

"A what?" Dempsey looked at Richtofen in confusion.

Richtofen shrugged. "It's something that had been created in the late 1900s. I should explain that it all started out with video games. Kids would go to places called arcades to play these games, and they eventually evolved into counsel games, which are basically video games you can take home with you. What we have is much more advanced, and it's been supernaturally enhanced by Nyarlathotep. We can try it later if you want."

"How about we try it right now? This whole 'video game thing' sounds interesting."

"Well, if you say so." Richtofen walked over to the TV stand and looked at the games it had. "Um, which one do you want to start with?"

"What are they called?" Dempsey asked.

"Well, I think a couple of these games are part of a series, but a lot of them say "Call of Duty"."

"What are the series?"

"There's Call of Duty: Ghosts, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, as well as two games based on World War 1 and 2. The last one is a series called "Call of Duty: Black Ops"."

Dempsey raised a brow. "Black Ops? That actually sounds cool. Do they say anything or something?"

"The covers tell you limited information about the game; usually a summary and features. There's the campaign, which is where you play the game's story mode. Black Ops, like the others, has other modes. One is multiplayer, which is where you and I can play on a team or against each other. What the...?"

"What is it?"

"Black Ops has a zombie mode."

"What? Let me see that." Dempsey stood next to the Doberman and read the back of the cover. "Holy shit. We gotta play that mode."

"I think we should at least try the campaign first. Just so we can get used to it, Dempsey." Richtofen suggested. "Besides, I want to know what the story is."

"Okay, but after we get used to the game and complete it, we're doing that zombie mode."

"Agreed." So Richtofen placed the disc into the counsel, then sat back on the couch with a controller in his paws, and a virtual reality mask in his jaws. "What's interesting is that he added this virtual world mask, so it'll be like I'm in the game. It even comes with flawless graphics."

"Graphics?"

"I think they're how the game looks, as well as how real it may appear. The better the graphics, the better it all looks."

"Okay. You ready?" Dempsey asked, sounding eager to see how this would go.

"Yes." And Richtofen began the game. "Wow. Okay, I don't need the controller, cause this thing is like an actual simulation. Okay, let's see how this goes."

* * *

"I cannot believe you actually played the entire campaign." Dempsey said, sounding tired.

"Why not?" Richtofen asked.

"Because it took hours!" The German Shepherd exclaimed, obviously annoyed by how much time the Doberman spent just to see how the story goes. "Why couldn't you wait?"

"Says the guy who didn't want to wait until after the game was finished, just to play a zombie mode." Richtofen countered.

"Well, sorry for not finding the story _that_ interesting. I'll admit, the story was good and all, but come on. It's not like it was even remotely relevant to our lives. I mean, it's not like we're gonna meet Mason one of these days."

"Knowing Nyarlathotep, I don't entirely believe that. Besides, the story was excellent. Taking place during the Cold War, when Russia and America never actually fought, which they did in the game. Then there's that deadly bio-weapon Nova 6, which is interesting as it's actually a dangerous weapon that easier for the likes of Dragovich to get his hands on rather than nuclear weapons, and it posses a threat equal to that of nuclear missiles. And let's not forget how Mason was brainwash the whole time by Steiner, then sabotaged by Reznov and brainwashed to kill Dragovich and the others. It would've made a great movie."

Dempsey yawned. "Maybe. But as good as it was, can we just play the zombie mode?"

"Seriously?"

"Yes!"

Richtofen sighed. "You're so impatient. Even when we're not fighting zombies anymore."

"What are you two arguing about this time?" Takeo asked as he walked into the room. "I could hear Dempsey's yelling all the way from upstairs."

"Okay, so there's this gaming counsel from the 21st century, and we were playing this video game that happens to have a zombie mode, which is probably about fighting against hordes of zombies. Dempsey's been wanting to play it, but I wanted to play the campaign first. Now that I did, Dempsey's getting impatient and really wants to do that zombie mode."

Takeo shook his head. "How is it that you two find a way to argue over everything?"

Dempsey shrugged. "It happens naturally."

"Especially when it's Dempsey." Richtofen added, glaring at the Shepherd in annoyance. "Can you ever wait for anything?"

"Nope."

"I hate you."

"You love me. Admit it."

"How can I admit to anything when it would just be a lie?"

Takeo sighed. "I'm gonna go before this escalates even further."

"Can we play that zombie mode, now?" Dempsey asked.

"I don't know."

"You said we would!"

"And now I'm having second thoughts about it."

"You're just upset because you can't play the campaign anymore. It's not even that great of a story to begin with."

"How dare you! It's an excellent story! I've already given you three reasons! Should I add all the adventure, the fighting, not to mention the gameplay?"

Takeo sighed, shaking his head as he could still hear them from his room, and he was sure that it wasn't because of his canine senses. No, Richtofen and Dempsey were just good at being loud.

 _"Leave it to those two to argue over a game. It's just a game! Even if it is from the future."_


End file.
